Ring or bail for suspending or lifting vessels



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. TAPLIN.

RING 0R BAIL FOR SUSPENDING 0R LIFTING VESSELS. No. 413,981. Patented Oct. 29. 1889.

N. PETERS PmmLmw u hur. Washmgtnn, D, c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. TAPLIN.

RING 0R BAIL FOR. SUSPENDING 0R LIFTING VESSELS.

No. 413,981. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

N PETERSv PhelwLJnogr-npher, wuhm mn. D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN TAPLIN, OF FORESTVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRISTOL BRASS AND CLOCK COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

RING OR BAIL FOR SUSPENDING OR LlFTlNG VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,981, dated October 29, 1889.

Application filed December 24, 1888. Serial No. 2%,467. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN TAPLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forestville, in the county of Hartford and State of '5 Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rings or Bails for Suspending or Lifting Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in IO rings or bails for suspending or lifting ves sels of various kinds, the ring being attach able to and detachable from the vessel by its expansion and contraction; and the objects of my invention are simplicity in construction I and convenience and efficiency in operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my ring, the bail being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a detached portion thereof, showing the lock or lap, the same being viewed from the outside and with the ring in its most contracted position. Fig. 3 is a like View of the same with the ring in its most expanded position. Fig. & is a side elevation of the same portion in the same position as viewed from the inside of the ring. Fig. 5 is a like view of the same with the ring in its most contracted position. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my ring and bail as applied to a fruit-can for 0 lifting the same, and Fig. 7 is a view of my ring and hail as applied to the oil vessel or cup of a lamp for suspending the same.

I provide my ring or hoop with ears 8, by which to attach the respective ends of the 3 5 bail or hanger 9 in any ordinary manner. As shown, it is rigidly attached to said ears, but that fact does not make it any less a bail in the sense in which I use that term. Any suspending device or handle would be the equiv- 4o alent of a bail for the purposes of my invention. The two ends of the ring are united, but made to slide one upon the other in suitable guides and form a lap, whereby the diameter of the ring may be expanded and c011- 4 5 tracted and the ring fastened in its contracted position. I prefer to form this lap at a point near one end of the bail 9. The outer end 10 of the ring I provide with an outwardly-projecting finger-lug 11 for use in contracting the ring or in unfastening it, and by locating this lug 11 near one end of the bail the ring may be easily contracted with the use of only one hand a finger or thumb being placed upon the lug and a thumb or finger upon the bail or car to which it is fastened, and then pressing 5 5 the thumb and finger together the ring will be contracted. I also provide this outer end 10 of the ring with a headed stud or pin 12 and a notch 13. The inner end 14 of the ring is provided with an angular slot 15, one portion of which extends longitudinally with said end and the other portion transversely to said end, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and at. I also provide said inner end with an outwardly-turned lug or guide 16, and I cut away the angular bend of said lug on its upper side for about half its depth. The headed pin 12, before mentioned passes through the angular slot 15 and permanently holds the two ends of the ring together.

When the ring is contracted, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and it is desired to expand the same, it is only necessary to lift the outer end 10 far enough to bring the pin 12 into the longitudinal portion of the slot 15. This will also bring the lower edge of said outer end high enough to pass through. the cut-away portion of the angle or bend of the lug or guide 16. When the ring is thus liberated, it will expand under the elasticity of the metal into the position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

In order to contract and fasten the ring, it is only necessary to slide the lapped ends one upon the other until the headed pin 12 coincides with the transverse portion of the slot 8 5 15 and the notch 13 coincides with the solid portion of the bend in the lug 16. The outer end may then be pressed downward into the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, and the ring is firmly fastened in its contracted posi- 0 tion. The lapped ends of the ring may be brought into this position either by pressing the lug 11 and end of the bail or its ear toward each other with the thumb and finger of one hand, or by merely pressing the two ends of the bail toward each other.

The device is applicable for suspending or carrying vessels of various kinds, and is useful whenever it is desirable to release the suspended vessel by letting it down through the I00 ring when the ring is suspended, and replacing the vessel from below, or whenever it may be desirable to attach the ring by letting the ring down over the top of the vessel. In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a fruit-can 20 as standing in Water.

In using my ring and bail for a lifter it is only necessary to unfasten the lapped ends, then lower the ring over the rim 21 at the mouth of the fruit-can or other vessel, then contract and fasten the ring immediately under the rim of said vessel, the ring of course being of such a size that the rim of the vessel Will not pass through when the ring is in its contract-ed position. WVhen the ring is used in a suspended position-as, for instance, in hanging flower-pots, lamps or other vessels-the lapped ends of the ring are unfastened, while the ring and bail are suspended. The vessel or article to be supported thereon-as, for instance, the lamp-cup 18, Fig. '7is then held in onehand and passes up through the ring until its rim 19 is above the top of the ring. The operator then with his other hand contracts and fastens the ring and releases the vessel, when it is supported with its rim 19 resting upon the upper edge of the ring, as shown. It can be readily removed by unfastening the ring and allowing said ring to expand.

I claim as my invention- 1. A bail and attached ring having lapped ends, one of which is provided with an angular slot 15, having longitudinal and transverse portions, and the other provided with a headed pin or stud working in said angular slot, substantially as' described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of aring having lapped ends arranged to movetransversely one upon the other for locking said lapped ends when the ring is contracted, a bail attached to said ring, with one member located at a point near one of the lapped ends of said ring, and the other member located near the middle of the length of the band forming said ring, and the lug 11 on the opposite one of the lapped ends of the ring from that to which the adjacent member of the bail is secured, substantially as'described, and for the purpose specified.

3. A bail and attached ring having lapped ends, one of which is provided with an angular slot 15 and the other with a pin or stud working in said slot, one of said ends being also provided with the guide-lug 16, cut away in its angle for a portion of its width, while the other end of said ring is also provided with a slot 13 for engaging the solid portion at the angular bend of said lug 16, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

ALVIN TAPLIN.

lVitnesses:

ISAAC W. BEACH, HENRY W. PORTER. 

